A boy’s father dies in a freak accident. Or did he? When Ian learns the truth about his dad’s demise, he is forced to confront the unexpected truth in Dan Elish’s The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons. (Illustration by Sam Shearon)

Having tutored fifth grade students in the past, I am always on the lookout for stories which will captivate the imaginations of young readers. When Dan Elish’s The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons crossed my desk, I knew this would be a great title to add to my arsenal of middle grade fiction as soon as I started to read it. Read more of this post